China’s biggest privately owned carmaker might not be a household name yet, but Geely is hardly a start-up. Founded in 1986, it’s the global automotive powerhouse behind Volvo, Polestar, Lotus, smart, and LEVC (which makes London’s black cabs), with more than 50,000 employees, five global R&D centres, and design studios from Gothenburg to Milan. In fact, this very car – the Geely EX5 – was designed in Italy, honed on UK roads, and fine-tuned by engineers from Lotus.
So, while it’s technically Geely’s first model to wear its own badge in Britain, the EX5 arrives with impeccable parentage. And, crucially, it arrives at a price that undercuts its rivals so dramatically that you can’t help but take notice.
